Shift Your Mentoring Into Reverse for Greater Benefits

Mentoring is often seen as a way for a young employee to gain knowledge from an older worker, but more companies find that setting up reverse mentoring programs can provide payoffs for every employee, no matter their age or rank. The key is making sure the program is structured so that the parameters and expectations are clear for everyone.

When older workers witness young employees making workplace gaffes like referring to the CEO as “dude,” they may shake their heads and sigh, knowing that the young employees have a lot to learn.

But when young employees watch older workers struggling to understand new technology or Twitter, well, dude, they may shake their heads and think the same thing.

That’s why more employers are starting to explore reverse mentoring. At MasterCard, for example, Chief Human Resource Officer Ron Garrow admits that while he’s not a technophobe, “I recognized that I had a lot to learn about operating in this new world.”

So Garrow, 51, began participating in the employer’s reciprocal mentoring program. He was partnered with 24-year-old Rebecca Kaufman who taught him how to use Twitter and get more out of professional networking sites. He says that Kaufman not only taught him how to better navigate online connections, but also gave him greater insight into younger consumers and how they are changing the industry.

Lois J. Zachary, director of the Center for Mentoring Excellence, says reverse mentoring allows a young person to gain exposure to a senior-level person, “and the senior-level person gets to learn something” from the young employee.

“Senior people benefit from learning what younger people are thinking about. This can help, for example, if they’re developing a new product. A senior-level person needs that input,” she says.

The young employee benefits from the “face time” with a senior employee, also allowing them to learn something such as better communication or organizational skills, she says.

Research shows that employees often learn more from one another than they do from formal training, but even reverse mentoring programs should be structured and overseen by a human resources department, says Zachary. author of “Starting Strong.”

She also encourages such programs to set expectations so everyone involved knows what will happen, in addition to HR providing a reminder that everyone should “be real.”

“Sometimes young employees will start doing a lot of posturing in these situations, starting to say what they believe senior people want to hear,” she says. “Older employees need to encourage them to be genuine.”

She adds that these groups may be brought together only for a specific purpose – such as evaluating a new product – but should not be looked upon as another focus group. “This is really more about give and get,” she says. “The purpose of it is learning for both parties.”

Reverse mentoring became popular decades ago when Jack Welch, former General Electric chairman, ordered 500 top-level executives to connect with those below them to learn how to use the Internet. Even Welch was partnered with an employee in her 20s.

If you’re considering a reverse mentoring program, here are some things to consider:

Acknowledge there will be bumps. If you decide to match Millennials with baby boomers, for example, there may be some preconceived notions. Baby boomers may believe that young workers are an “entitled generation” who aren’t willing to work hard and constantly want to be given a trophy. On the other hand, Millennials may believe that baby boomers are technologically inept and stuck in their old-fashioned ways. You’re going to need to address these issues and get all those involved to enter the arrangement with an open mind.

Be sure to stress the positives. One way to get participants to be more open to the idea is by outlining the benefits they will receive in their careers. All workers, no matter their age, want to feel valued. By improving their skills in various areas, this can assure them they will be even more valued by what they’ll bring to the table.

Choose participants carefully. It makes no sense to pair up people who are inflexible and aren’t open to learning something new, no matter their age. You want employees who have demonstrated a desire to learn, want to help their team and are interested in career development. At the same time, try to pair up those who have something to really offer the other person. If a senior person already seems to have mastered social media, for example, then maybe it’s best to pair him or her with a younger employee who can pass on more specific technology knowledge.

Provide training. To ensure an open and honest relationship, provide some training about how participants can best communicate their ideas or thoughts to their partner. Knowing what to expect will help alleviate any doubts or anxieties the participants may privately harbor.

Measure it. For a reverse mentoring program to thrive, it should be documented so that the benefits are clear, and any adjustments are based on data. It’s also important to set parameters such as how often – and where – partners will meet, and the desired outcomes.